Going into today's game in Seattle, Orioles reliever Darren O'Day hadn't allowed a run in his last 14 appearances over 15 1/3 innings. O'Day retired the first two Mariners in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Mike Zunino lined a home run into the left field seats to tie the game 2-2. The Orioles took a 2-1 lead in the top half on Manny Machado's infield hit with two outs that scored Adam Jones. O'Day's 1.00 ERA led American League relievers. He struck out Chris Taylor to end the...

If someone had told you that the Nationals were going to go to Cincinnati, fail to hit a home run over three games and run into outs like 2007 Nook Logan (still my favorite Charlie Slowes call of all time), would you have expected two wins in a three-game series? Luckily, seven shutout innings by right-hander Doug Fister on Sunday bailed out the baserunning mistakes of Anthony Rendon (trying to move up on Jayson Werth's grounder in the first after walking and swiping second) and Denard Span...

Chris Taylor doubled with two outs in the second inning today to score Logan Morrison and give the Mariners a 1-0 lead over the Orioles. Miguel Gonzalez has allowed five hits in two innings, including four in the second. Nelson Cruz recorded the Orioles' 25th outfield assist of the season yesterday and Nick Markakis picked up No. 26 today in the second, as Kyle Seager tried to stretch a single into a double. Markakis leads the Orioles with 10 outfield assists. The team ranks second in the...

The Orioles' long west coast trip comes to a close today and a victory will give the Orioles a winning road trip at 6-4. They've gone 1-2 at Oakland, 2-1 at Anaheim and 2-1 in Seattle. It would be impressive to finish with a winning trip against three American League playoff contenders who are all having good seasons. The O's went 7-4 on their trip through the AL West last year and have a chance to leave with another winning record. They came a blown save away from winning the series in...

So much for the notion that yesterday's baserunning follies were a one-game aberration. The Nationals ran themselves out of a possible rally in the first inning of today's game against the Reds, after Anthony Rendon had walked and stolen second. Jayson Werth shot a ground ball deep into the hole at short and Rendon, perhaps thinking it would sneak through, took off for third. Shortstop Ramon Santiago gloved the ball and easily caught Rendon at third base. Yesterday, a couple of baserunning...

The Orioles conclude their West Coast trip today in Seattle, and they've got Manny Machado at third base for the second consecutive game. Steve Pearce is in the lineup for only the second time in the last five games. The Orioles are 5-4 on the trip despite batting .196 and averaging 3.7 runs per game. The starters have posted a 3.07 ERA. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Steve Pearce LF Adam Jones CF Nelson Cruz DH Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Manny Machado 3B Caleb Joseph C Jonathan Schoop...

CINCINNATI - Danny Espinosa is back at second base today for the finale of the Nats' three-game series at Great American Ball Park against the Reds. Jose Lobaton is behind the plate, catching Nationals right-hander Doug Fister. In the seven games Lobaton has been his batterymate, Fister has worked to a 2.09 ERA and opposing batters have hit only .214. Fister will be opposed by righty Mat Latos. For the Nationals: CF Denard Span 3B Anthony Rendon RF Jayson Werth 1B Adam LaRoche SS Ian Desmond...

Will Steve Pearce make it back into the Orioles lineup today in the final game of their three-city West Coast trip? Pearce hasn't started three of the last four games. He went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts Friday night and is 1-for-16 with eight strikeouts in his last four games and 5-for-30 with 10 strikeouts in his last nine games. Pearce doesn't have a history with Mariners starter Roenis Elias. No one does with the Orioles. Elias is making his 21st start in his rookie season. He's 8-8...

With more indications that third baseman Ryan Zimmerman will be out for most of the rest of the summer, the Nationals have a few days until the trade deadline to make a decision. Should they go out and add a bat or stand pat? Should it be an infielder with experience or another solid bench bat? Could they possibly, as Ray Knight told us on "Nats Xtra" the other night, consider a blockbuster deal to acquire Chase Utley from the Phillies? Did you see all the scouts at the Phillies game Saturday...

In the big picture, the Orioles began this road trip with a four-game lead atop the American League East. At worst, they will come home two games ahead. At worst, they will have a .500 road trip against two teams that seem almost certain to make the AL playoffs and a third that is contending. This current road trip could have gone a lot worse and the Orioles have had some 2-8 and 3-7 or worse West Coast trips over the years. But what to make of the offense right now? Should there be any...